White Devil's Kiss
by SephirosHojo
Summary: There is a new threat found in a small journal left behind by Hojo. What kind of destruction could it possibly bring to this world?
1. Prolouge

I do not own The FF7 characters. But I own the creatures I created. Just so there aren't any mixups.

Please review. They are welcome.

A word of warning. This story was written long before Advent Children and Dirge of Cerberus. These two things will not affect the story at all. Please enjoy. 

Four years ago, Meteor fell. It brought destruction and pain to the city of Midgar and turned it into another ruin on the planet. The evil creature, Jenova, having caused the greatest of warriors to do her bidding tried to bring it down upon and wipe out all human kind. But there is always hope as long as the people believe.

Cloud Strife appeared. And with his friends, destroyed Jenova and Sephiroth before they were destroyed themselves. This brought on a new era for the planet and its people. They lived in peace and prosperity. Never having to live in fear again.

The small group that had won the day went their separate ways. Each doing his or her own thing. Mercenaries, bar tenders, big time politicians, or just trying to make it along in life. None of them expected to ever fight again, ever.

Four years ago, Meteor fell. It rained its fire and fury down upon Shin-ra, destroying the once great empire. It also wiped out the insane works of Hojo. A mad scientist who enjoyed experimenting on others. Everyone believed that his final works had been destroyed and his madness would never again infect the world. But do not believe everything you hear.

Deep beneath the glaciers of the Northern Continent, an underground cavern is hidden and within this underground Eden, the final experiments of Hojo live on. One sleeps, awaiting the day when it can awaken and destroy the world. The other grows while the mind remains as a small child. Both lack the final pieces to complete their structure.

Also buried with them are several scientists in charge of caring for the two. But they do not wish to carry on Hojo's work. They only wish to care for the angels they have been left with.

Four years ago, Meteor fell. And in its wake, left a broken man. He lay at the bottom of the crater, watching Holy fly to the crash site to save the planet. The memories of death and carnage returned to him and he shivered in physical and emotional agony. His body healed slowly so that he may one day return to the surface. And while he laid in his agony, a name came to his lips. A name that could save him.

"Ariah."

His whispered it into the darkness where only the rocks could hear. And even though rocks have ears, they cannot speak. So they could not comfort the poor tortured soul who lay against them. They could only stand as the strong, silent bones of the planet, just as they had always done.


	2. Beginning of the End

I do not own Final Fantasy VII. But gosh in all creation do I wish. Please read and review. I would like comments.

**1**

"So, tell us again why you called us here, Vincent." The group formerly known as Avalanche, new members and old, were gathered in the Shin-ra Mansion in Nibelheim. Vincent Valentine, one of those who had joined after Cloud left Midgar, had called them all together for an emergency meeting. Not everyone was thrilled.

Cloud was fine with it. He sat on an old pouf chair, relaxing as if he lived there all the time. His clothes were still the same SOLDIER uniform that Zack had given to him when they had escaped together. Nanaki was also relaxed in front of the roaring fire that made the cold, dark building seem homey and warm. The great dog-beast had not had to travel far.

Cid Highwind, who had flown the airship to pick everyone up, was also relaxed in a pouf with a cold beer. He didn't really care about traveling because he did it almost every day. Barret Wallace was one of the agitated people. He wore a new suit instead of his usual jacket and jeans. His gun arm had been traded for a prosthetic arm.

Tifa Lockheart was also grumpy, to say the least. Her new bar had just opened and she was not there to supervise it. She and Barret had both traveled from Kalm Town. But Tifa's usual shorts and T-shirt were traded for a short skirt and blouse. Cait Sith looked fine, though he was a machine anyway so why should he be bothered? Reeve could sit in the comfort of his office while running the robot's every move.

Yuffie Kisaragi had come the farthest. And, surprisingly, she was the most comfortable with the situation. She had stretched herself out next to Nanaki on her stomach, watching Barret pace around. She still wore her Ninja outfit, though she had grown up a bit.

"It would be nice of you to explain why this is so important, Vincent. I have a very important meeting soon." Barret said, looking up from his pacing.

The vampire sighed and pulled a small book from a hidden pocket in his cloak.

"This is why I asked you all here." Everyone stared in shock for a moment before erupting into different reactions.

"A BOOK!" The shout was done in unison as the group tried to grasp the meaning. Tifa reacted violently and stomped up to Vincent like she was going to deck him one right in the mouth.

"You called me away from my grand opening for a stupid little book!" Despite this, the taller man remained calm.

"Not exactly, Tifa. It is what is in the book that is important."

Cloud came forward and pulled Tifa back.

"Please, tell us what's in it." He said as he sat her down in the chair he had occupied.

"It is a diary, one of many, written by Hojo." This made Tifa fall silent. "Since I live here, I felt it necessary to clean up the mess left by Sephiroth and many other people in that basement. I found this among the clutter on the floor." He opened the book to a marked page and began to read. "'For by the will of the Devil shall the Angel fall. But should the Devil fall before the Angel, hell by any other name would not describe the pain.'

"This is a verse that is part of a poem inspired by Hojo's final work. It was written by one of his fellow scientists before the poor man fell victim to this 'Angel'. The entire poem reads like a description of the end of the world."

"Is the whole poem in that book?" Nanaki asked as he sat up on his haunches.

"It is. And it goes something like this:

'White Devil, Black Angel

Written by: Anonymous

Can an Angel fly from heaven,

To join our fellow man?

Can the Devil rise from hell,

To hide among our clans?

Willful spirits tell us no,

But some do yet believe,

That man himself can concur this,

Breaking boundaries like a sieve.

Though you have discovered this,

Is it right to go?

The pain these two will face,

Seems unfair to make it so.

Can an Angel bring destruction,

Upon this world of ours?

Can a Devil bring redemption,

And bring peace instead of wars?

And now I come close to the end,

Please listen a moment longer.

For I will tell you a dark secret,

That this man has brought down upon us all.

Ariah, Ariaus.

Please remember those two names.

For by the will of the Devil shall the Angel fall.

But should the Devil fall before the Angel,

Hell by any other name shall not describe the pain.'"

Everyone sat silently for moment. Each pondering the words that were said. Nanaki was the first to speak.

"He broke the rhythm. Why didn't he continue the pattern?" For the answer, the vampire held up the book for them to see. The poem's words were splattered with blood.

"He knew he was going to die as he wrote it. He tried to keep it true to poetry, but didn't have time to think carefully enough. This man knew he was going to die."

Cloud stared at the floor, deep in thought. Then spoke his own question.

"What do the names mean? Ariah and Ariaus? Are these the two it is talking about?" Vincent nodded.

"Yes. They are the 'White Devil' and 'Black Angel' he refers to. Though, which is the Angel and which is the Devil is unclear. It doesn't even mention it in the book." Finally, Tifa spoke. Her hands were clutched tightly in her lap.

"What does it say after that?" Once again, Vincent began to read.

"'Test one complete. Success for the male. He grows stronger as the days go by. Soon, he will be stronger than Sephiroth himself! The fool had it coming. How dare he tell me he couldn't gain the final piece to complete them! The female is a disappointment. She is far to pampered. We will just have to work harder with her. The failsafe cannot be weaker than the weapon.

"'But that will come later. It is time to move them back down to the Vault. No one must know about them. Not until they are complete. I must find the final piece if they are to be completed. Curse Shin-ra for moving them so far away from my lab in Nibelheim.'

"There is more, but it is all equations and instructions on how to build and complete these things he calls a weapon and a failsafe."

"Does it give a location for this 'Vault'?" Cloud asked, clearly worried.

"Yes it does." Cid spoke up for the first time in a while.

"So why don't we go down and blast the #&? If its gonna be a damn threat, we should get rid of it as soon as #! possible, right?"

"No." Nanaki said firmly. Cid jumped up and faced him.

"And why the hell not!"

"Because, there might be innocent people in the Vault as well. We cannot just blow them up, too."

Finally, it was Yuffie who brought some logic to the whole thing.

"Why don't we find out where it is first? That would help determine what to do."

"She's right." Cait Sith stated, bouncing on his mog. "Depending on the location, we'll know if it's destroyed already or not." They all looked to Vincent who went back to the book.

"It says that the location of the only door is underneath a glacier northwest of Icicle Inn." All eyes immediately went to Cait Sith. He shifted nervously under their gazes.

"What are you all looking at me for? I don't know anything about this. I never bothered with Hojo."

"Are you being honest, Reeve?" Tifa asked.

"Very honest. I've never heard of this stuff. I've never heard of any of it."

Cloud once again became the leader and quieted everyone down.

"It doesn't matter whether you knew about it or not. What we need to do is find out what it is. And whether it's dangerous or not. In one week, let's meet again and go to Icicle Inn to see if we can find the Vault. We need to know who Ariah and Ariaus are. Then we need to find out what they were created for."

All were in agreeance with the terms. It was time for a bit of action anyways. It had been far to quiet during the past few years. They all got up to leave and thanked Vincent for telling them the information. Nanaki stayed behind in order to spend more time with his friend. Besides, he needed someone who could hold an intelligent conversation without constantly swearing or other such things.

Outside, unknown to the group, another person was listening. He wore a long black cloak that covered his body and face. Quietly, he spoke the name of the one person he had been searching for. "Ariah. So you are alive. I will find you again. I promise." Then, with a wave of his cloak, he disappeared into the night to begin his long journey to the glacial continent.


	3. Voice of Memories

I got a review! Yay! Thank you so much! No one on MediaMiner liked it. And now, I will add this next chapter for Kikino. Are you a die-hard Vincent fan by any chance Kikino? For I am one as well and he will remain the greatest thing to ever be created! (Right up next to Sephiroth of course.) I will not spoil anything more. On with the story!

Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy VII. I really wish I did, but I don't.

And please remember, Advent Children, Dirge of Cerberus and all that other stuff will not be included in this story. It was written long before any of them came out. Thank you for being patient.

**2**

Darkness. That is all I can see. Someone is next to me. I can feel their heat. I smell their blood. The person is laughing. Why? What is going on? I can't see through this blackness. Won't someone please help me?

OUCH! He put something sharp in my arm! That hurts! Stop it! Get away from me!

"Now, now. Settle down, my specimen. I need your flesh and blood. It will help create two of the strongest warriors this planet has ever seen."

OWW! My arm! What are you doing to my arm? NO! Please stop! Don't take my arm! Please, it hurts so much! Stop it!

"Don't worry. It will all be over soon. Once this is gone, we can give you a stronger arm. It will be much better than the one you have now."

Oh no. What are you doing? It's going through my arm. I can't scream. Why won't my voice work? Please, someone help me! Make him stop! I don't want a new arm!

"There. See? That wasn't so hard was it? Now for the injections. You will be very strong indeed. Now stop fussing! I must replace that blood with something."

NO! Anything but a needle! Please! Stop!

"Ah, very good. Once that has been absorbed, I can place the arm. Then I will add the rest."

'The rest?' What does that mean? Oh, my body hurts. I can't feel my arm. Why? What did I ever do to you? What next?

"Good, good. Now we can place the arm."

What is that cold feeling near my shoulder? I still can't see. It's so cold.

"There. That should be about right. Now, let's make it permanent."

NOOOOOOOOO!

Vincent awoke in a cold sweat. His body was shivering from chills that ran up and down his spine. Why did that memory come now, of all times? And so vivid. He could still smell the blood; feel the knife and the needles, and worst of all, the flame that had melted his skin to metal.

He looked at his bare shoulder to see the burn scars that still looked fresh, even after all these years. 'Even when he is dead, Hojo finds a way to torment me. Why? Why me?' But he already knew the answer to that. He had gotten in the way and became a liability. But there was significance here.

Something Hojo had said, which made no sense then, became crystal clear.

'Your flesh and blood will help make two of the strongest warriors this world has ever seen.' What had Hojo done? What could he have possibly used his blood for? He needed to find out. And he needed to do it soon.

Later that week, Cid returned with the Highwind, ready for Vincent to board. Everyone was there, even Barret, who always seemed busy nowadays. The vampire boarded and went to the main deck where they were. Cloud was waiting patiently.

"Now that you're here, I can explain my idea for this. Barret has sent excavation crews to Midgar to dig below the Shin-ra building. Maybe we can find something there. I think we need to separate like we used to do." There were a few nods of agreement. "We should only take three or four to the Ice Cliffs. The rest should go to Midgar to supervise the digging crews."

Everyone was in agreance. Carefully, Cloud chose his crew of three. Vincent was unanimously chosen as the first person. Nanaki was second, closely followed by Cid. Cloud himself decided to stay behind in Midgar.

The Highwind lifted off and sped towards the Ice Cliffs. A map taken from the diary provided some direction to their destination. When the three were let off, the crew of the Highwind gave them two specially bred chocobos for crossing mountains. Their green feathers stood out against the white snow well.

Once goodbyes were exchanged, the Highwind left again leaving them behind. Vincent mounted his chocobo as Cid argued with his. "Do you want to ride or run, Nanaki?"

"I will run, Vincent. I need the exercise. The vampire nodded as Cid finally mounted.

"Well, let's get goin' before this damn bird kicks me off." A small ghost of a smile crossed Vincent's lips as he turned to the north.

"Come, the map says we need to go this way." The three took off, not knowing what they were heading towards. They passed many monsters and rode through a blizzard to reach their destination. They were very glad for the warm, winter clothing that had been provided for them.

Then, after several hours, Vincent called a halt in front of the face of a large glacier. "This is the place." Cid looked skeptical.

"I don't see no #$ door. And I sure as hell don't see no way to even find the door." The diary was pulled out and consulted once more.

"It says something about melting away the 'frost of illusion' and revealing the 'door of truth.'" Nanaki sat back on his haunches and washed his face with a paw.

"It's directions on how to the open the door. They must have covered the entrance with ice to disguise it and then, when they needed to get in, they would melt it away."

"That's all good and fine," Cid griped, trying to warm his hands. "But how do we know where to melt?"

Vincent was already working on this problem. He had jumped off of his chocobo and was running his metal claw over the icy surface. He studied the wall carefully as the individual 'fingers' dug into every crevice. Cid looked at him crucially.

"I do hope you are goin' to let that thing warm up before you touch anywhere."

The older man chose to ignore this remark. Cid could only think two-dimensionally anyway. Suddenly, one of the fingers clunked against something metallic protruding from the ice.

"I found it." He said as he stepped back. "Nanaki, do you have the fire materia?" The beast stepped forward.

"Yes, I do. What level would you like me to use?"

"Level three, please." Nanaki stood in front of the spot Vincent had indicated and charged his power. The spell hit the ice, melting a large hole about the size of two basketballs.

"This could take a #$ long time, you know that?" Again, he was ignored. The melting process did take several hours though, as predicted. But they were rewarded with a ten foot door lodged into the glacier itself. Vincent and Cid began to tug at the handle and it slowly slid open. Beyond it was a long stairway that went down into a pitch black cement tube.

Nanaki took the lead, his tail lighting the way, while the other two followed. None of them knew what was waiting for them at the bottom. All they knew was that they had to get there somehow. The deeper they went, the warmer it got until they were able to shed the winter clothes they had been wearing. Then, after what may have been the better part of an hour, they reached another door.

It was metal, like the first door, but when touched, slid open of its own accord. A blinding light invaded the cement tube as it opened, blinding the small group. There was a loud screech of anger and the collective thought was, 'What kind of hell have we entered?'


	4. Into Eden

I will now get down on my knees and beg for forgiveness for taking so long with this chapter. It would have come sooner except that my computer crashed and I lost everything! It sucked! Thanks to the great kindness of my best friend, I was able to recover most of the chapters I had previously typed. But I will continue writing this story. Nothing will stop me! Unless the world ends. Then I'll have to quit. But until then I will work as hard as I can to finish this story! Once again I am very, very sorry for my tardiness.

Reminder: This story was written before Advent Children and Dirge of Cerberus ever came out and it remain that way. These two things will not effect the story what-so-ever.

Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy VII. I only own Ariah and Ariaus. Thank you for your patience. Please enjoy this chapter.

**3**

As their eyes became used to the bright light, they saw that the hideous screech had come from a machine that was used to alert anyone inside of someone entering the building. A pair of scientists were already waiting for them. One was a man and the other was a woman. Both wore glasses and long white coats and both seemed to be at least in their late 50's. "Welcome to Eden. We've been expecting you." They said in unison.

The three were surprised to hear this. Cid was the first to speak though.

"What do you ($# mean you were #& expectin' us?" The woman bowed slightly.

"We mean just that. Ariah told us you were coming." She said matter-of-factly. Vincent pushed Cid back to prevent him from using his foul mouth again.

"She can see the future?" The man shook his head.

"Not exactly." The man answered. "She knew someone was coming, but she didn't know who. Sometimes she knows, but only if she has met the person before. Would like to meet her? I assume that is why you are here?"

"Yes." Vincent said stepping forward. "We have to come to see her. And we have come to see Ariaus as well." The two were quiet for a minute but then turned back to their guests.

"We shall see. Ariaus is…unable…to have visitors. Come. We will take you to see Ariah." The two scientists led them through a corridor to another closed door. When this one opened, all three travelers were stunned speechless. A large, natural cave was carved out and filled with plants, animals, running water and enough light to keep everything green and growing.

"This is our Eden." The woman said. "Created to house the most powerful of Hojo's creations. We have everything we need down here. Water, fruits, vegetables, meat, even things you would least expect like sweets and ice cream." As Nanaki looked around from the hilltop they were standing on, he saw a large tube protruding from the water of a glimmering lake.

Its metal and glass surface reflected the light making it difficult to see inside.

"May I ask what is in that lake?" The man turned slightly to look and sighed.

"That is were Ariaus sleeps. He never comes out. All the better for us I think." The woman gave a shrill whistle and they began walking again. There was a distant sound, like the chirp of a bird and the woman smiled.

"Ariah will meet us at the camp. She really is a sweet little thing." Cid was walking, but, as usual, was agitated about something.

"Hey, what are your names? You don't even know ours, either." The woman gasped in shock and turned to her partner.

"That is true! We did not properly introduce ourselves!" The man stopped and turned, bowing apologetically.

"I am very sorry, my friends! How could we be so rude? My name is Adam. And this is my wife and wonderful collogue, Eve." She bowed gracefully. "We are the original scientists to work on this project."

"Now, what are your names? So that we may introduce you to Ariah properly."

Vincent took the lead.

"My name is Vincent Valentine. This is Cid Highwind and that is Nanaki." The two nodded.

"Good, good. Come now. Ariah is waiting. We do not have to walk far." The woman whistled again and four chocobos came trotting up to them. "I hope you do not mind, Nanaki, if you have to run?"

The beast shook his head.

"No. I do not mind at all. I find it rather refreshing actually." Eve nodded and mounted one of the chocobos while everyone else did the same. Well, Cid tried at least. But, once again, he ended up fighting for several minutes before the bird would actually let him on.

Then, Adam led the way to the camp far below in the valley. It took them only a few minutes to get to where they were going. After they had dismounted, the chocobos disappeared back into the foliage. Eve walked into the small camp of tents, tables and lab equipment calling out for Ariah.

"Come on out, Ariah! These new people want to meet you! Be a good girl now and come out!" There was a shy giggle from one of the tents followed by a quiet chirp of a bird. "There you are you silly thing." Eve entered the tent and came out a few minutes later carrying the strangest creature any of them had ever seen.

It was a young girl, maybe only 14 to 15 years old. Her skin was a pale white and her hair was like liquid platinum. This was kept in a high ponytail that reached her waist. She wore a simple skirt that covered her knees and a halter-top tied at her neck and waist. Two emerald orbs gazed at them from her pale face.

But what shocked them the most was the pair of large, white, leathery wings protruding from her back. Then there were the twin horns on either side of her head. They were small, but still visible. Also, a long tail, also white, twitched behind her. Vincent quickly estimated her height to be, at the most, 5 feet tall. And Eve carried her like she weighed almost nothing!

"This is Ariah. Say hello sweetie." The little girl chirped and hid her face in Eve's shoulder. "Oh, you aren't that shy. Come on. Why don't you tell them how old you are?" She shook her head, still not looking at them. "She just had a birthday last week and she was ever so excited." Eve explained.

As she continued to try and coax Ariah into talking, an alarm went off by the lake. Both scientists looked up worriedly.

"He's awake." Adam said taking Ariah from Eve.

"Yes, he is. I'll go see what he wants." The scientist picked up a basket of fruits, vegetables and bathing supplies and headed in the direction of the lake. Adam motioned for the three to follow him deeper into the tents.

"Come, my friends. She won't be done for at least an hour. Ariaus is very picky about his schedule." Nanaki watched Eve's retreating back with concern.

"Is it safe for her to go alone?" He asked.

"Yes. She is the only one that Ariaus truly trusts. And she's the only person who can get close enough to take care of him. He won't even let his sister get near him. Isn't that right Ariah?" The girl nodded, still hiding her face from the travelers. "Why don't you try asking her a question? Maybe she will respond better."

Neither Vincent nor Cid could think of a question, so Nanaki tried.

"Ariah," The girl looked up at him. "How old are you?" An excited smile spread across her face.

"I'm 18 years old!" She even sounded like a child! What was this creature? 18? How could she be that old? She didn't look a day over 15!

Adam laughed slightly.

"I can see that you don't understand. Come into the main facility and I will try to explain everything." Ariah hopped out of Adam's arms and ran past the tents as if leading them to their destination. The four followed her and soon came upon a large building that was hidden by the trees.

When they entered, they found it to be nothing more than a large laboratory. There were shelves of books, computers, medical equipment and various desks where only two other people worked. Neither of them looked up. In the very center of the room was a large tube, much like the one in the lake.

It was ten feet tall and three feet in diameter. But this one was empty. The door was wide open as if waiting for the occupant to come back. The little demon girl ran through this door and hid behind the frame. She giggled and looked out at them, then quickly ducked back inside.

This made Adam smile. "She's playing hide and seek. It's one of her favorite games, even if she isn't very good at it." Another minute later, Ariah poked her head out again. When she saw them looking, she hid once more. "She'll do that until someone goes to find her. If you will excuse me for a moment."

Adam bowed and walked slowly toward the tube. "Where have you gone Ariah? How are we to show these nice people about you if you keep hiding?" When he got close to the tube, he looked all around until he stepped inside. "Where is Ariah?" Suddenly, he was tackled to the ground by the little demon.

They were both laughing and wrestling until the girl jumped up and ran away from him. She shot towards the travelers and hid behind Cid. As Adam tried to come after her, she jumped onto Nanaki's back, then, from there, to Vincent's back where she clung with her claws. But, once she had attached herself, she would not let go.

Even Adam tried to dislodge her, but to no avail. She was stuck and wasn't coming off. "I'm sorry. She seems to have taken a shine to you." Ariah chirped and burrowed her face into Vincent's back.

"I suppose it's all right. As long as she lets go." Again, she chirped and climbed up to rest on his shoulders, one arm on each side of his neck. Then, she rubbed her cheek against his.

"I like you. You're nice." Vincent looked mildly shocked at this while Cid laughed and Nanaki grinned. But neither of them said anything so they didn't bring down the vampire's wrath upon them. Adam gave a confused smile and went to a large computer screen next to the tank.

"Well, I'm sure you would like to hear of how these two came to be. Are you all right having Ariah there?" He asked as he began typing in various access codes.

"Yes, I'm fine with this."

"All right. Ariah, please leave so these nice people can watch the video."

"But…but…but why? I wanna see too."

Adam sighed.

"You aren't old enough. Now go outside and play. That's my good girl." Ariah climbed down off of Vincent's back and walked outside, grumbling the whole way.

"I'll go. But I won't like it!"

"I know you won't." He finished typing in the codes and a visual came up. "Here it is. Please wait until all the videos have played before you ask questions." Adam pressed a button and the screen was filled with an old video display counting down to its start.


	5. Origins of Angels and Devils

Here is the next chappie! Yay for me! Well, not exactly. More computer problems shut me down for a bit. Electronics suck. Oh well.

I'm really sorry if this chapter isn't that entertaining. I wasn't quite sure how to portray this stuff. I hope you like it. Especially you Kikino! You are my favorite reviewer so far. Thank you sooooo much for giving your feedback. Plus you like Vincent a whole lot, just like me! Yay!

Disclaimer: I don't own Final Fantasy VII (Thank goodness for them)

Reminder: This story will not be affected by Advent Children or Dirge of Cerberus.

**4**

"Film one. Beginning final experiment of the ultimate weapon. We are now filming professor." Hojo moved to his examining table with a pair of vials in his hand.

"Good, good. Now we begin. I hold the beginning of the project in my hand. We have waited fifteen years. Come in, Marcie." A woman with light brown hair and sky blue eyes walked into the room. A thin robe covered her slim form. She wore nothing else.

She stood next to Hojo waiting for her next instructions. "Lay down, please." She did and Hojo opened the robe to reveal her naked body. "We will now remove unfertilized eggs from Marcie and then fertilize them with the samples collected from both Vincent Valentine and Sephiroth." A nurse placed an oxygen mask over Marcie's face. A few minutes later, she was under.

Once she was asleep, Hojo began the fertilization process. It took at least half an hour, but was completed. "Now, we wait for them to develop. Once they are born, we can decide what needs to be done or changed."

"Yes sir. End of film one."

"Film two. Continuation of the ultimate weapon. Filming, professor." Hojo walked up the same examining table, but this time, Marcie was lying under a sheet with twin babies on either side of her. She looked exhausted and ready to give out.

"The two children were born half an hour ago. One is a boy and the other a girl. The boy, clearly the child of Vincent Valentine, has developed a certain quality unique to his kind. His skin is black and his eyes are red, but he carries a pair of feathered wings that attach at his shoulder blades.

"His sister, on the other hand, is altogether different. Her skin is a pale white and her eyes a mako green. Her father is Sephiroth to be sure. She contradicts her brother with a pair of demon-like wings, horns, and a tail.

"We still do not know how this has occurred. The pregnancy was normal and the birthing went well, but nothing can explain this strange happening." The baby boy began to cry and a nurse picked him up. He fought violently until he was set down to eat from his mother. The baby girl stayed silent except for a small chirping noise. When she was picked up, she chirped louder in a happy tone. Then she was also placed down to eat.

For a while everything went as normal, until Marcie had fallen asleep. The children were taken from her grasp and she was removed to rest in a different place. "We will now take these two to be raised in a different place. A place where no one can interfere. We have created an Eden for them to grow up. Now we will see how they develop.

"And when they are old enough, we will complete them."

"End of film two. We will begin filming once we are in the Vault, sir."

"Film three. Continued from film two. One year after the birthing. Filming now, professor." The one year old twins were sitting on the grass chewing on their toys.

"Continue to watch them."

"Yes sir." For an hour, the two continued to play. Then, the boy became violent and hit his sister over and over as hard as he could. Their nurse quickly picked him up and a man picked up the whimpering girl.

"Eve, lock him into his tube again. Adam, go take care of her wounds." The two nodded and ran to do their jobs.

"End film three. We will begin again in ten years."

"Film four. It is time to complete the project, right professor?"

"Yes. We are in the lab here in the Vault. Bring in Ariah and Ariaus." Eve came in carrying the boy.

"Here is Ariaus sir. He is felling slightly ill today."

"We will take care of that. Set him on the table here." The nurse set the young boy down the table and he reached for her as she pulled away.

"Mommy, where are you going?"

"I will be right over here, Ariaus. Don't worry." Adam came in carrying the little girl. She was excited about everything until she saw Ariaus.

"NO! I don't wanna go on the table!" Adam patted her back.

"It's okay Ariah. You'll be fine. It's only for a little while." He set Ariah down on the table and stepped back as well.

"Good," Hojo said as he prepared a needle full of a glowing green liquid. "Bring the samples to complete them." A man stood next to the surgical utensils. He began to shift nervously.

"Um, sir?" Hojo rounded on him.

"What is it?"

"We…we don't have…what I mean is…."

"Just say it!"

"We couldn't get one of the samples."

"WHAT!" Hojo was infuriated. "How could you not get one of the samples? You have had plenty of time! Which sample could you not get?" The man tried not to back down.

"Vincent Valentine, sir. We couldn't find him. And you hid the key as well." The mad scientist began to growl and grumble.

"Take them back to their tubes. If we cannot complete them, there is no point in continuing here today." The two bowed, picked up the children and left quickly before Hojo could become any angrier. "Now they will never grow to their full potential. If they are not completed, they will remain childish and stupid forever! End the film, NOW!"

"Yes, sir. End film four."


	6. Meet My Daddy!

It is now 10:30 at night and I have just finished the second season of Vandread. And man am I on a high! WOOT! Go pink marker! I can't wait to see what Kikino does with the pink marker! BIG WOOT! Okay, sorry. I gotta calm down. Deep breath. I know this chapter came really fast, but I couldn't resist putting it up. I just love hearing from people! Especially those who like my work. And thank you very much to Skavnema for the review. It's nice to know that someone is reading. And I must apologize if anyone seems a bit out of character. I'm still working on that part of my writing. I hope they've been okay so far.

Disclaimer: I don't own FFVII. Which is very very good for Vincent and Sephiroth. (Especially right now)

Reminder: This story will not be affected by Advent Children or Dirge of Cerberus. Thank you for reading.

**5**

When the film ended, all three were left speechless. Even Cid, who normally had everything to say, couldn't say anything. He and Nanaki stared at Vincent who was staring at the screen in total shock. He kept trying to make words, but couldn't find his voice. Finally, Adam answered his unspoken question.

"Yes, you have a son, Vincent. Just as Sephiroth has a daughter. It wasn't quite supposed to work out that way, but that is what happened." Suddenly, Vincent collapsed against Cid, still in shock. He hadn't fainted; it was just too much for him to take in.

The pilot caught him and helped him into a nearby swivel chair.

"Hey, Vincent, you okay? You need a drink or somethin'?" The vampire only shook his head, still unable to speak. While Cid helped Vincent to find himself again, Nanaki turned to Adam to ask his own questions.

"Did Sephiroth know about his daughter?"

Adam nodded.

"Yes, he did. He spent many long hours with her when she was in Midgar."

"What happened to their mother? I think her name was Marcie."

"Her name was Marcie, yes." The man said sadly. "She became very ill after they were born. It was a strange disease that we could not cure. And so far, hers is the only reported case of it. It started as nothing more than a cold.

"Then it began to attack her nervous system from her feet up. After three months, she could no longer walk. Six months, she couldn't get out of bed. Nine months, she couldn't breathe on her own. Finally, a year after it began, she died of complications from heart disease."

Nanaki lowered his head in respect for the fallen woman. Everything was now silent in the lab except for the whir of machines and the sounds of the other two scientists working there. Ariah quietly crept through the maze of tables, desks and chairs until she reached the chair Vincent sat in.

She gently rubbed her head against his upper leg, trying to comfort him. He looked down and pat her head, but that was all. Adam went over and picked her up. "You should probably get some rest. It is getting very late. We can prepare beds for you if you like."

Nanaki looked at Cid who nodded.

"That would be welcome. Traveling outside in this condition would be foolish."

Adam bowed.

"Very well. Please, come with me. You are mostly likely hungry." Cid helped Vincent to stand up and let him lean on his shoulder. Then, they all followed Adam back outside to a large canvas tent. "This is the mess tent. I'm not sure what's in there so you just have to go look. Will you feed Ariah while you are in there?"

"Of course." Nanaki said as he went over to let Ariah onto his back. "Thank you for your hospitality." The little demon girl hopped down onto the dog-beast and snuggled against his soft, warm fur. After that, they went in to eat.

Vincent didn't speak through the meal and remained silent when they went to their tent to sleep. Ariah stayed close to him, trying to help him. When he lay down to sleep, she crawled up next to him and snuggled against his right side. He didn't react at all. He didn't pet her hair or hug her to him, but he didn't push her away in disgust either.

They all fell asleep that way. All except Vincent who could think of nothing but the information he had learned today.

The next morning, Vincent awoke after everyone else. When he tried to move, he found Ariah still sleeping next to him. She stirred slightly but didn't wake. No matter how hard he tried not to disturb her, every time he moved, she would stir slightly. So, in the end, he simply woke her up.

She yawned and sat up, rubbing her eyes.

"What time is it?" She asked with a small yawn.

"I'm not sure." Vincent said, stretching out. "You should go get breakfast."

"You need to, too." Ariah stood up and took his good hand. "Come on. I'll go with you." How could he say no to that cute of a face? He let the young girl lead him out of the tent and followed her to get breakfast. She stayed near him as if sensing he needed company.

She stayed near him for most of the day, making sure he wasn't lonely. Vincent appreciated the company but was bothered by the fact that he had a son, but had never seen him or even known he existed. Finally, he went to find Eve, who was preparing a basket for Ariaus.

"May I go with you?" Eve looked up at him.

"Is there any specific reason?"

"Yes. I want to see my son."

"All right. I don't know how he will react to you though. So please be careful."

Vincent nodded and followed Eve out to the lake. Ariah stayed behind looking dejected and unloved. "Don't worry about her." Eve said when Vincent looked back. "She does that every time I go to see Ariaus. She can't get near him, you know."

"Why? Why is she unable to be near her own brother?" This question was met with a sigh.

"None of us are sure, really. It is simply a matter of Ariaus not liking anyone at all. But ever since the day they were born, they have been fighting and it will probably be that way until the day they die."

They continued walking until they reached the lake where the tube rested in the center. There was no visible way out to the cylinder.

"How do you get out there?"

"Watch." Eve opened a small, hand-sized door in the trunk of a tree. There was a keypad molded into the wood! She typed in a code and the ground began to shake. And then, right before Vincent's eyes, a metal path rose from deep in the lake.

A small laugh escaped the nurse when she saw the surprised expression on Vincent's face. "That is how we reach him. He can't use his wings so it also keeps him safe. Well, come on then."

She led the way out to the cylinder and set the basket down when they reached the door. A palm-scanner and a retina-scanner was the only key to open the sliding doors. After they had opened, Eve stepped up into the dark interior. "Ariaus?

"I brought someone for you to meet. Will you come out and see him?" There was slight movement and the sound of rustling feathers. Then, a young man's voice floated out.

"Who…is it?" He sounded much more mature than his twin sister.

"It's your father, Ariaus. He wants to meet you. Is that okay?"

"Yes. I want…to see him." The boy spoke slowly, as if every word had to be forced from his throat. Ariaus then stepped from the shadows to see the man that was called his father. Vincent could see the terrible intelligence behind his eyes and sense the power inside his body.

Just as he had seen in the video, the boy had black skin like the chaos, but a pair of beautiful black-feathered wings graced his shoulders. He was the same height as Ariah and looked as if he could be carried just as easily. The thick, black hair was pulled back in a loose ponytail that rested at the middle of his back. The eyes burned red inside his skull.

Vincent bowed respectfully.

"Hello, Ariaus. I am Vincent Valentine. I apologize for not coming sooner. I did not find out about this place until almost a week ago." Ariaus returned the bow.

"That is…all right…father. Mother told me…of your…impri...impri…." He looked up at Eve in a frustrated manner and she nodded.

"'Imprisonment', Ariaus."

"Thank you." He carefully climbed out of the tube and walked over to Vincent. "May I…hug you?"

Vincent's response was to kneel and open his arms to the boy. Ariaus immediately ran into his arms and hugged him tightly. This was the feeling for which the boy had been searching for so long. He finally knew his father.

One hour later, the visit was over and Ariaus had to return to his tank. Vincent walked in silence until Eve broke it with a question.

"How did you get him to respond to you like that?"

"I don't know. He just did. Doesn't he react like that to anyone?" The woman shook her head.

"No. He hates people. I am the only one who can get close to him and even then it's impossible if someone comes with me."

"Now I have a question for you. Why can he not speak properly? He is very intelligent. I can see it."

Eve sighed.

"It is because they are not complete. Their genetic code must be completed before they can realize their true potential. Ariaus has the intelligence to succeed at anything he wishes, he merely lacks the capability. We have wanted to finish them for a long time now, but it is quite impossible."

"And why is that?"

"Because Sephiroth is dead." Vincent looked at her in confusion.

"What do you mean?"

"The sample we took from Sephiroth was destroyed when Midgar was leveled. If we do not have that to combine with a sample from you, the code cannot be finished and they will remain incomplete. Jenova cells can only go so far.

"It is probably for the best, though." She said with a sigh. "That way, Ariah and Ariaus will never have to confront each other. Our 'Black Angel' will never be able to realize the fate that has been set on him. The 'White Devil' will also continue to live in blissful ignorance for the rest of eternity."

Silence fell on the two again until they reached the camp. A strange sight met them when they arrived.

Ariah was dancing in circles, chanting something while Adam and Nanaki tried to catch her. When she saw Vincent and Eve, she rushed over and latched on to the vampire's waist. She looked up at him with a happy smile.

"My daddy is coming! He's coming down the stairs right now!" Vincent looked up in horror at his friends. A nod from Cid confirmed his fears. Adam went up to try and detach Ariah.

"The censors say that someone is indeed coming down the stairs. And we cannot convince her that it is not Sephiroth, but someone very dangerous." Ariah glared at her caretaker.

"Daddy is not dangerous. He is nice. He takes care of me and brings me presents from the outside. I am going to go meet him. Right now!" Then, she let go and began running faster than the best chocobo towards the entrance. Her wings provided enough help to keep her at this speed.

They gave chase, but were forced to call upon chocobos before they could continue. As they rode, Vincent and Cid prepared their weapons for battle. They remembered what had happened the first time they met Sephiroth. Materia was carefully placed, ammo was added, blades were polished, and armor latched into place. Their only hope was that he had lost at least some of his strength from the last time they fought.

Ariah reached the entrance before any of them and waited anxiously for whoever it was to step through the great metal doors. Just as the group reached the small room, the gate slid open, letting in a cloud of fog. The little demon girl squealed in delight as she rushed forward to hug the figure. All the warriors could see were fog and a black figure standing in the center of it.

But Ariah could sense what they couldn't. She jumped into the cloaked figure's arms and hugged his neck tightly. "Daddy!" Rich laughter filled the chamber and Vincent, Cid and Nanaki prepared themselves for anything.


	7. Sephiroth Returns

Muahahahaha! Sephiroth has returned! WOOT! And praise to all! I have new reviewers! Woohoo! I love hearing people comment. It makes the fuzzy bunnies very happy. Thank you again to Skavnema. It is frightening to think that Sephiroth could have such a cute little munchkin for a child, huh? And thank you very much Kikino. You gave me hope to continue posting and now the fuzzy bunnies praise you with carrots and pie. Mmmm…pie. Watch out for the evil red-eyed Vincent! He will eat your soul! 0.0 And a big thanks to my new reviewer black-rose-xo. I guess I did mark it as romance. I completely forgot about that. But I think I'm gonna let the pairings explain themselves. I don't want to spoil the surprise.

Okay, as the evil red-eyed Vincent is glaring at me, I will quit yakking on and on and give you the next chapter. I hope it helps explain some things. Personally, I don't even know how Sephiroth came back this time either. . I had a plan a long time ago, but now I have forgotten it.

Apologies for the OOC's. I'm not very good at characters.

Disclaimer: I don't own Final Fantasy VII

Reminder: Advent Children and Dirge of Cerberus will not effect this story in any way. It's hard for my brain to think that way, but I will do it! \m/ . \m/

**6**

The cloaked figure held Ariah in his arms and stepped into the room. His face was hidden behind the black hood, but Vincent had already guessed who it was. "Sephiroth." He hissed out as he raised his gun to fire.

The now revealed man laughed slightly and set his daughter down on the floor.

"Yes. I am Sephiroth." He said, removing his hood. "But not as you know me." His face, his voice, the aura of power around him, nothing had changed at all. Except that he wasn't trying to attack them. He stood, wide open, and yet did nothing!

Ariah smiled and took her father's hand.

"See? Daddy good. He wouldn't hurt anybody." Vincent did not lower his gun, however. Just as Cid did not lower his harpoon.

"How did you survive? We defeated you. Cloud watched you die!" The warrior nodded solemnly.

"Yes, a part of me did die that day. A part that needed to die. Cloud freed me from the madness. And now here I stand, a changed man."

"I don't believe ya, ya bastard." Cid said, getting ready for an attack.

Ariah gasped and covered her ears as Sephiroth pulled her against him.

"Please refrain from using such language around my daughter. I may be used to it, but she is still young. She does not need to hear it."

"Oh really? And just what are you gonna !$!& do about it?" Sephiroth merely sighed and shook his head.

"I suppose I can do nothing if you will not refrain when I ask politely."

Ariah then began to tug on her father's cloak and pulled him toward the cave.

"Come on, daddy! I want you to see my home. You need to see where I live." He smiled down at his daughter.

"If these nice men let me pass, then I will." Vincent could not believe what he was hearing! Sephiroth, one of the most evil and hated men on the planet, was talking to this child in a tone that suggested innocence! Not to mention the fact that he was there, alive and breathing, at all. It defied all logic!

The little demon girl held her father's hand tightly and marched up to Vincent.

"You let my daddy through or I won't like you any more." For some strange reason, this affected the vampire. He didn't want her to not like him. Even though it had never bothered him before when people had said that.

He reluctantly stepped back and allowed the two to pass. As they walked down the hallway, into Eden, Cid scolded his friend for his supposed stupidity.

"You let him pass! What did you #$&# do that for? It's not like it's the end of the whole damn world if she hates you. It's just a girl for cryin' out loud! Ah hell, by tomorrow she'd have forgotten and would be up on your shoulder again."

Vincent just ignored him and followed Ariah and Sephiroth out.

'But,' he said in his mind, 'Why did I let them pass? She is just a young girl after all. But…it really did feel like it would be the end of the world. Why? I've never felt like that before. No.' Vincent scolded himself. 'I have felt that before. But she was my age.'

When Sephiroth got outside into Eden, he began to praise it like it was the greatest thing he had ever seen. This made Ariah smile bigger than ever. It was clear that she loved her father no matter what. But, the biggest problem was that he had changed. He wasn't attacking. He wasn't trying to kill them, just enjoying the fact that he was here with his daughter.

They followed him over the fields, not bothering to call chocobos until they finally reached the camp. Adam and Eve were waiting for them with worried expressions. They had heard of Sephiroth's betrayal even when they had been locked away in this so called Eden. But, when they saw Ariah's face and the light that came from her smile, they were no longer worried.

Eve bowed to the warrior and held out her arms in a welcome gesture.

"Welcome, Sephiroth. Welcome to our humble home." This brought a smile to his worn features.

"Hello Eve. And you, Adam. I thought you two would have surely been taken off the project years ago."

Adam laughed.

"I thought so as well. But, apparently, we were valuable enough to keep."

Sephiroth looked around for a minute while Ariah jumped down and began to search for hidden pockets.

"Where is our friend, Raphael? Surely he would have come out of the woodwork at the mention of my name." The mention of this name caused Adam and Eve to lower their heads in despair.

"He was killed…nine years ago. Hojo set Ariaus on him." A shocked expression crossed Sephiroth's features for a moment but then disappeared as quickly as it had come.

"I suppose that is to be expected. He dug to deeply then?" Both scientists nodded. Silence reigned until a happy squeal emanated from somewhere underneath the large cloak around Sephiroth's body. Then, Ariah appeared with a package clutched tightly in her arms. "Hey!" Her father shouted as he tried to catch her. "Where do you think you're going with that?"

The young girl just ran to hide behind Vincent's legs. She laughed in delight as she opened the gift. She squealed happily again when she had torn all the paper off. The vampire turned to see what was going on and found her hugging a rather large box of chocolates.

He looked at Sephiroth in confusion.

"What is that?" The younger man laughed slightly, scratching his head in embarrassment.

"I brought her favorite treat. I used to bring them all the time when she was in Midgar. I didn't want to come to her empty handed." Sephiroth knelt down and held open his arms so Ariah could come back and climb in his lap. And come she did. She ran at full speed and tackled her father to the ground. They were both laughing.

As the defeated father tried to sit up, he found a hand offering him help. He looked up and saw Vincent standing there, waiting. He took the hand gratefully and stood, still holding Ariah and the chocolates.

"This doesn't mean I trust you." He nodded.

"I understand." Vincent then left, walking into the tent where he slept. Cid and Nanaki also went to their respective tents to rest. Adam then approached Sephiroth.

"We are happy to see you alive, my friend. But now that you are here, may we speak of something very important?"

"Yes." He answered, setting his daughter down. "We can." Eve crouched down and patted Ariah on the head.

"Why don't you go and play, honey? Your daddy needs to talk about grownup things with us."

"Do I have to?" She asked looking up at her father.

"Yes, Ariah, you do. You aren't old enough to talk about these things yet." The child went off grouching about adults and Adam led everyone into the lab. "What is it you want to talk to me about?" Eve went off to check on some reports while Adam stayed behind.

"I need to talk to you about completing Ariah." This confused Sephiroth.

"I thought you already had a sample to do that."

"We did." Adam said sadly. "But it was destroyed when Midgar was. Also, now that Hojo is gone, she is in your complete custody. You have the right to tell us not to complete her and leave her the way she is…innocent and ignorant to the ways of the world."

Sephiroth thought carefully before he gave his answer. It was true he liked his daughter just the way she was. But she also needed to be able to grow up and live a normal life.

"Complete her. She needs a chance to grow up and be normal."

"You do realize that she can never be the way she is now again."

"I do. Compete the experiment and allow her to grow up." Adam bowed.

"As you wish."

Meanwhile, while they spoke, Ariah had grumped off to Vincent's tent and poked her head inside. The vampire was stretched out on his cot staring at the ceiling.

"Can I come in?"

"Fine." He didn't look over at her as she came over to the cot. He didn't even react when she climbed up to sit on his stomach.

"Do you wanna share my chocolate? I can't eat the whole big box by myself." Vincent just grunted. This frustrated the young demon. She opened the box and selected one of the most delicious treats and held it to the vampire's lips. "Go ahead! It's really good."

It took a minute, but Vincent finally opened his mouth and took a bite of the rich morsel. He chewed, swallowed and looked up at his little friend. She just smiled and held the rest out for him.

"Shouldn't you be sharing with your father?" He asked as he took the rest into his mouth.

"No." She said as she picked one out for herself. "Daddy's busy talking to Adam and mommy. I'm not allowed to talk about grownup stuff. Not until I'm old enough."

"Oh." They sat there for a good half hour, sharing the chocolate and even laughing at silly little jokes that, surprisingly, Vincent started. He had almost forgotten how good it felt to laugh. Then their fun was ruined when Eve came to the tent.

"Vincent, may I speak with you?" Ariah reluctantly packed up her chocolates and got off of Vincent so he could sit up.

"Yes, come in." The woman entered and smiled when she saw Ariah.

"Oh, good. There you are. Your father wants to talk to you, Ariah. Would you go to him?" The little girl nodded.

"Okay. Where is he?"

"He's in the lab."

"Okay. Bye Vincent. I'll come back as soon as I'm done, 'kay?" A small smile appeared on the vampire's lips.

"All right. I'll see you then." She ran out and Eve watched her sadly.

"She really is sweet, isn't she?"

"Yes, she is. What is it that you need to speak with me about?"

"We now have the resources to complete these two. But…without your permission, we cannot complete Ariaus. If you agree, he will have a chance for a normal life. He will be able to grow up and put his mind to proper use. Maybe…he will even be able to get along with Ariah."

Vincent stared at the wall in thought. They could complete them? His son would be able to grow up. Maybe even go home with him. 'Then,' Vincent thought, 'I wouldn't be alone anymore.'

"Do it. Complete him." Eve bowed out and Vincent lay back down on his cot. He hoped to everything that was holy that this was the right choice. If not, then he had just made the worst mistake of his life.


	8. May You Live

Awight! Next chappie! I am having such a hard time with this opening. I gotta learn not to watch Fruits Basket and write stuff. Especially if Ayame is on the screen. WOO for Ayame! Anywho, Thanks and Kudos for my reviews. Thank you so very very much. There isn't much else for me to say except, Happy Turkey Day! Woohoo! Okay, so I'm late. Big deal. I was very busy. The Fuzzy Bunnies give you all carrots and pie. Mmmm…pie. Oh, and if you don't like carrots or pie, the Fuzzy Bunnies will give you whatever treats you like. Also, if some of this wasn't what you were expecting, I am very sorry. Kudos!

Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy VII

Reminder: Advent Children and Dirge of Cerberus will not be affecting this story. Thank you for your patience.

**7**

The next day, everything was prepared for the experiment. Ariah and Ariaus were brought one at a time into the lab and laid out on the operating tables. Sephiroth stood next to his daughter to console her while Vincent waited beside his son. Soon, Adam came in with a pair of vials.

"Are they ready?" He asked as he prepped a small table with his tools. Both men nodded.

Eve then entered and went over to the machines behind the tables.

"We're going to have you two take a little nap, okay?" She brought out a pair of oxygen masks and placed them over both children's faces. "Breath deeply. Don't worry about anything. Just go to sleep and rest. When you wake up, you will be better than you ever dreamed possible."

Slowly, the two fell into a dreamless, drug induced sleep. Vincent and Sephiroth left the room and waited outside in the warm, summer-like light. After a long silence, Sephiroth finally spoke.

"How long do you think it will take?"

"At least an hour. Then they have to recover in their tubes and that could take another hour or two."

The general nodded and fell silent again. An hour passed like that until the two scientists came out carrying Ariaus' unconscious body. He still wore an oxygen mask connected to a tank attached to Adam's back. Vincent stood to help and took the boy in his arms while Eve took the tank from Adam.

"Did it go well?" He asked as he followed her out to the tube.

"Yes." Eve said petting the boy's hair. "They both did very well. He will wake up in a few hours feeling better than ever. Adam will take Sephiroth in to be with Ariah when she wakes. Will you stay with Ariaus?"

"I will." Vincent said.

They reached the tube and Eve put in the codes and keys to open it.

"He must be prepared to sleep now. Also, he must have plenty of room to grow. He has at least ten years of catching up to do in just a few hours." As Vincent set his son down inside the tube, he felt the muscles beginning to twist and grow underneath the boy's skin which was rapidly changing color.

A mask inside the chamber was placed over his face and then the two left. The doors slid shut and water rushed into the now sealed container. Eve stopped Vincent before he could rip the doors open. "This is how it works. The water will keep him in a suspended state, giving his body plenty of room to grow. That is why I placed the other mask on him."

"Is Ariah in a similar state?"

"Yes. I need to return to the lab to make the report. Will you be all right alone?" Vincent sat on the metal path and leaned against the tube.

"I will be fine."

Eve bowed and left the vampire to ponder the fate of his son.

An hour later, the water in the tank began to drain. Vincent looked up from his spot to see the doors slowly sliding open. Ariaus stood in the opening, his naked body glistening with droplets of water. He stumbled down out of the tank and fell into his father's chest. The vampire clung to him, holding him upright until he could gain his footing.

The boy had changed into a man in the short span of an hour. His height was now close to his father's; at least 5'11". His skin had a pale tan instead of the usual black and his wings had disappeared. When he was able to stand, Vincent removed his cape and wrapped it around Ariaus.

"We need to find you some clothes. How do you feel?"

"I feel…." He paused for a moment and touched his throat in surprise. He had found the ability to speak normally and not falter and stutter. "I feel better than I ever have."

"Good. Let's stretch your legs a bit to get them used to walking."

"Yes, father." Ariaus followed Vincent slowly over the metal path, almost unsure of his own footing but gaining confidence as he moved. When they reached the grass, the young man bent down to touch it. "So this is what grass feels like. And the soil beneath it is so warm and full of life.

"The rocks are so strong. I wish I could speak to them. They must have wonderful stories to tell." Vincent watched in wonder. Hadn't they ever let him touch the ground? Was he really so isolated as to not even know the ground beneath his own two feet?

"Have you ever touched the ground before, my son?"

Ariaus shook his head as he stood to touch a nearby tree.

"No. They carried me everywhere. I have only felt the water that would surround me and the cold, lifeless metal that encased me while I slept. I've never felt anything like this before. It's so wonderful. Thank you for giving me this chance, father."

Ariaus hugged Vincent in a tight embrace. He seemed to be in perfect harmony with himself and everything around him. Until, he began to be aware of the few life-forces that surrounded him. He recognized all except three. Those three did not bother him though. If they were here they were safe.

But, when he felt Ariah's heartbeat, he snarled in rage. "She is alive! Why must they keep her alive! She is a useless waste of flesh!" The feral rage that washed over Vincent in waves caused his body to shake in what may have been fear. It was hard to believe that this was the same man who had left his tank only moments before.

"What do you mean?"

"Her! She denies my very existence! She'll kill me the first chance she gets. Keep her far away from me father or I will kill her."

"Of course, Ariaus. I will not let anyone hurt you." Ariaus went back to being his curious, gentle self after that.

After half an hour, he had thoroughly examined the perimeter of the lake and was now sitting on the cool grass, fully dressed in a loose shirt and black pants, and enjoying the meal that Eve had brought for him. He did notice that Vincent was not eating at all.

"Aren't you going to have any, father?"

The vampire shook his head.

"Not right now. I'm going to eat later when I go to talk with my companions."

"Oh. All right." A few minutes later, Eve came up to them carrying a basket loaded with bathing supplies.

"It's time for a bath, Ariaus. You've been out playing and now its time to clean up."

"Yes mother." Ariaus stood to take his basket and Eve turned to Vincent.

"Your friends are waiting for you in the lab. They asked if you could go see them right away."

Vincent merely bowed and walked away towards the lab.

When he got there, he saw Sephiroth standing in front of Ariah's tube with Adam while Cid and Nanaki sat at one of the desks, waiting. Vincent went over to them.

"Hasn't she come out yet?" He asked as he reached the desk they were at.

"No." Nanaki said as he stretched out his legs. "They don't even know what stage she is at right now." Cid was merely glaring at Sephiroth with a determined air.

"What's wrong Cid? You seem…distant." The spear-wielder just grumbled angrily under his breath and kept staring. Vincent shook his head and pulled up a chair so he could sit down as well.

They sat there for at least another half hour like that. It was so quiet; you could hear a pin drop. Then, the sound of draining water filled the room. Adam checked the computer and nodded to Sephiroth. Vincent stood up out of curiosity and stood next to his sworn enemy.

The door to Ariah's tank slowly began to slide open, and a small amount of water poured out onto the floor. It was dark inside the tank, but a beam of light managed to fill most of the tank. A tiny sound came from one of the dark corners and the three men moved to try and see in.

But, Ariah moved again so they couldn't see her. Sephiroth stepped up into the tank with her.

"Ariah?" He looked into the corner and saw her. She was sitting with her arms crossed over her now well developed chest.

"Daddy?" She said quietly. "It's cold. And I'm hungry." He laughed slightly and pulled off his cloak so he could wrap it around her. When he helped her to stand, he found that she had grown taller. She was now 5' 5'', but her legs were having a hard time supporting the rest of her body.

But she made a valiant effort to walk on her own from her confinement. Like her brother, she had changed drastically. Her skin was no longer milky white, but a rich, dark tan. All of the demon features had disappeared leaving her looking like a normal teenage girl. After taking a few steps she could easily control herself. That's when she pulled away and stood up smiling.

"Hello, everyone. I'm back. Sorry I took so long." A peaceful feeling filled the room and everyone smiled. Even if they believed they were standing next to an enemy, they felt happy. Adam took her by the arm and gently led her to another room.

"Come, young one. You need new clothes. Then you can practice with your new body." She followed him into a separate room. When she came back out, she was dressed in jean shorts that came to mid-thigh, a loose, blue tank top, and black, elbow-length gloves with the fingers cut off. Even Vincent had a hard time controlling himself when he saw her.

Sephiroth took her outside and to a large meadow adjacent to the camp. Vincent came along to watch as did Adam.

"Do what you feel like doing." Her father said as he turned her loose. For a moment, Ariah basked in the warm light, just as Ariaus had done. Then, she broke into a run and charged across the grass. A pair of chocobos fell into step beside her and jumped onto one's back.

A delightfully warm feeling filled the three men as they watched. Adam and Sephiroth felt like very proud fathers seeing their child take it's first steps. Vincent saw her altogether differently. Instead of being a young child, he saw her as a grown woman, able to make her own decisions and decide her own future.

They watched her for an hour before the light began to dim again signaling the end of another day. That's when Sephiroth finally called her in and they went to their respective tents to rest.

A few minutes after Vincent laid down there was a small chirp outside his tent.

"Come in." He said as he closed his eyes. Ariah entered with a box held under her arm.

"Hi Vincent. Can I talk to you for a minute?" He sat up, a little surprised to see her.

"Of course you can. What do you need?"

"Well," She started, sitting down next to him. "For one, I still have a lot of chocolates and I was wondering if you wanted to share some more." When Vincent nodded, she opened the box and continued, handing him one of the treats. "I was wondering that, if when you leave to go back to the surface…can I go with you?"

"What about your father? Isn't he taking you with him?"

"Yes, he is. But we just have one problem. Daddy walked here. He said he walked over two continents to get here. I was wondering if…maybe you could ask your friends…. I don't know. You must not have walked all the way here. You had to have had a faster way."

Vincent sat in thought for a moment while he ate a second treat that she had just handed him.

"We did fly here in an airship. But I don't think that Cloud wou—"

"Oh, don't worry about that. Daddy said he would stay under his cloak the whole time. And he will not say a word so that they don't recognize his voice. He's taking all kinds of precautions you know."

"I'm sure he is. But that doesn't change the fact of who he is and what he did." This silenced Ariah and she stared at the floor sadly. An overwhelming sadness filled the tent and Ariah stood up, leaving her box of chocolates.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have asked. It was stupid of me. I was only hoping that I could help father so he wouldn't overexert himself. I'm sorry I asked. Goodnight." And she ran out of the tent before Vincent could say a word. When he looked at the floor, he saw several small stains where teardrops had hit the dirt below.


	9. The Outside

Finally, Christmas is over and life can go back to normal. I am sorry this took so long. I was going to post this chapter last week, but everyone had something they wanted to do and I got so dang busy. Now I'm sick and have to go to the doctor tomorrow. Blech! But I will do my very best to keep this story going. I must for all you readers out there. At least, the ones who like it. Thanks very much for reading and please review. The Fuzzy Bunnies applaud you.

Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy VII

Reminder: Advent Children and Dirge of Cerberus will not affect this story in any way

**8**

The next morning, Vincent awoke from a fitful sleep feeling very alone. "Ariah is gone." He said to no one in particular. How he knew this, he didn't know. He just knew that she was gone.

Quickly, he stood up, replaced his gun back in it's holster and pulled his cape back around his shoulders. When he left the tent, Eve was waiting outside with Ariaus. The young man ran over and hugged his father tightly.

"Good morning, father! Did you sleep well?"

"Yes, Ariaus. I slept just fine. Why are you here in the camp?" Eve answered for the boy.

"Ariah left an hour ago. Sephiroth took her to the outside. She requested that no one be told until she was gone."

There was no emotion on Vincent's face as he nodded.

"That's fine. Do you want to go with me to get breakfast, Ariaus?"

"Yes sir!" The boy was in excellent spirits now that Ariah was gone. They enjoyed a peaceful breakfast together and then took a short chocobo ride around the lake. But all good things must come to end sometime.

At lunchtime, Cid and Nanaki came up to Vincent. Both looked solemn, if not a little bored.

"It is time for us to go." Nanaki said as he lifted his front paws onto the table.

Cid placed the PHS next to Vincent's plate.

"Yeah. Cloud called a few minutes ago. Their bringing the Highwind around in an hour to pick us up."

"Are we all packed?" Vincent asked as he stood.

The two nodded.

"Yes. We need to get started or we will make them wait."

"All right, Nanaki." He exited the mess tent and walked straight into his son. "Hello, Ariaus. Is something wrong?" The young man looked as though he was going to cry.

"You are leaving now."

"Yes, I am. Do you want to come with? I can show you the outside."

He shook his head.

"It is generous of you father, but I cannot go. I have no desire to see what is beyond these cave walls."

"Very well then." Vincent said as he bowed to his son. "Come on, you two. It's time for us to go.

They nodded and followed the scientists to the small cave that was the exit. A few tears were shed as they left, but only by Eve. The small group made their way up the long flight of stairs until they emerged in the bright sunlight. The Highwind was there waiting for them.

As they boarded, Cloud watched the entrance they had come from. He saw a fleeting glance of something black moving in the shadows, but nothing more. Vincent came to him on the bridge and explained everything he could to his leader.

"So where is Ariah now?" He asked as he looked out over the barren snowfields.

"She said she was going to travel and see the world. I'm not sure where she is at this very moment."

"When did she leave the…Eden…as you call it?"

Vincent was hesitant to answer. What would his friend do? And could he keep Sephiroth's secret?

"At least three hours before us."

"Then she'll still be on the Snowfields. If we hurry, we can catch up to her. Cid!"

The pilot looked up from the controls he had recently taken control of once again.

"Yeah?"

"Take us up. And then make a low sweep of the Snowfields. I want to meet this Ariah."

The pilot nodded and began to take the ship up. Vincent went to his lonely corner to think until Cloud came over to him.

"I need you at the helm too. You need to point her out. You know what she looks like and if she is traveling with anyone."

The vampire couldn't disagree. He stood at the wide window and watched the ground go by. Suddenly, his heart leapt into his throat. Two figures could be seen crossing the fields slowly. They were not on chocobos so they overtook them quickly.

"Cid! Stop!" Vincent shouted as he ran to the observation deck at the other end of the ship. By the time he got there, the Highwind was completely stopped and hovering over a very surprised Ariah. She was bundled in a warm, winter coat with long pants to cover her legs. Her long hair moved slightly in a light breeze caused by the ship.

She watched as a rope ladder fell and Vincent descended it to the ground. Her father, who was still hidden underneath his cloak, laughed slightly.

"It seems as though he followed us, yes?"

His daughter nodded.

"It does. And he seems very happy to see me."

"A little to happy if you ask me." Sephiroth said as the older man came running up.

"Hello, Ariah." He said, barely out of breath. "I'm glad I caught up to you." A sudden wave of pure joy washed over him as Ariah smiled.

"Really? What is it you need?"

"I have a friend who would like to meet you. I told him as much as I could and he is very interested in having a meeting."

"Oh!" The young girl looked slightly embarrassed. "He wants to meet me? Why? I'm not that special."

"It is so that he can accept that you are not dangerous. And I did not tell him about you, Sephiroth." He said just as the cloaked man stepped forward to speak. "I know better than to go telling everything."

"You see daddy?" Ariah said happily as she hugged Vincent. "I told you he could be trusted."

Sephiroth merely snorted under his cloak. Vincent ignored this and looked down at Ariah who was now wrapped around his waist.

"Will you come with me? I'm sure Cid would be glad to drop you off somewhere."

"Yes!" Ariah shouted. "Of course we'll come with, won't we daddy?"

Her father could not say no. Besides, she had never seen an airship before. Why not let her ride just this once?

"All right. We'll ride on the airship. But remember what I told you about me."

She nodded and took Vincent's hand so she could pull him along to the now landed Highwind.

"I remember. Come on Vincent! Let's go!" The man let himself be pulled along as Sephiroth followed close behind. A set of stairs was lowered from the observation deck and they boarded. Ariah was so excited to be there. She took in everything at once, walking slowly so as not to miss anything.

When she saw Nanaki come out of the bridge to greet her, she ran to him and knelt down to hug him around his furry neck. His heart filled with joy as he felt her excitement.

"It is good to see you again, little one."

"The same to you, Nanaki." Then, she stood and turned back to Vincent. "Where are these other friends you wanted me to meet?"

"Follow me." Vincent led her onto the bridge where Cloud stood waiting. The others were gathered around him. Ariah saw Cid at the helm and ran to give him a hug. He laughed as he caught her.

"Well, hello again you little heart stealer."

"Hi Cid. Vincent said I needed to meet your friends."

"Good. Why don't you turn over here and meet the crowd." The pilot turned her towards everyone and she bowed deeply.

"Hi. My name is Ariah. It is good to meet you all." A wave of happiness filled the bridge and everyone couldn't help but smile. Even Vincent allowed himself a ghost of a smile to play across his lips.

Cloud stepped forward and bowed in return.

"My name is Cloud Strife. These are my friends and crew," he said as he pointed to each one as he said their names. "This is Barret Wallace, Tifa Lockheart, and Cait Sith, who is piloted by Reeve who you can meet in person later if you like, and Yuffie Kisaragi."

Ariah shook all of their hands, but was more interested in Cait Sith than anything. She poked at the giant Mog he rode on and looked at Vincent in confusion.

"What does it mean…'piloted'?"

"He means," the robot said in its metallic voice. "That I am a robot being controlled by a human being."

"Oh! I get it. That's pretty cool." She then stepped back next to her father and bowed again. "It is nice to meet you all. I love making new friends."

Vincent looked at Cloud who nodded.

"The same to you, Ariah. I can see that you are not in any way dangerous to this planet. But, who is your traveling companion?"

Ariah looked over at her father as if she had almost forgotten he was there.

"Oh, this is my guardian. He doesn't like to come out from under his cloak so you'll have to excuse him. He fought many battles against monsters and such and was scarred badly."

"Does he have a name and does he speak?"

"I'm afraid he doesn't speak. His voice box was ripped out by a very vicious monster. And I just call him Guardian. I never really found out what his name is. Sorry."

"That's fine." Cloud answered as he turned back to the view window. "Now that you are here on the ship, is there somewhere you would like to go?"

Ariah smiled happily.

"Yes, yes! I would like to go anywhere! I wish to see the world!" She calmed down and laughed nervously. "Sorry. I mean that I would like to go to a different continent. I've never seen the outside world. Only Eden and the lab in Midgar. I don't mind where you drop me off."

Cloud nodded and turned to Cid.

"You heard her. To another continent Cid. And make it quick."

"Yes sir! Next stop, Nibelheim!" The airship took off and began to speed towards its new destination. Ariah stood next to Cloud watching the ground below whiz by. She was finally on her way to a great adventure and she knew it.


	10. My Home, Lonely Home

It's okay, Kikino. Actually, your review reminded me that I needed to update. Thank you very much! And thank you to all the others who reviewed. There is a small warning with this chapter, though. Some slight mention of sexual desires will appear, so if you are offended, please skip over that part.

Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy VII

Warning: Hinted lime

Reminder: Advent Children and Dirge of Cerberus will not affect this story.

**9**

The journey to Nibelheim would take a day and a night so Ariah spent that time exploring while her father rested in the cabin they had been given. When night fell, she went to the observation deck and watched the ground and sky darken. She had changed out of the winter clothes and returned to the same outfit she had worn before she left. She preferred the shorts to pants anyway.

As she leaned against the railing, Vincent appeared on the deck. He quietly stood next to her, waiting for her to say something. She smiled and looked up at him. "Thank you for catching up to us. Daddy didn't want to say it, but he was exhausted. This will be good for him."

"I'm glad you agreed to come. I was worried that Sephiroth wouldn't allow it."

"Yeah. I was afraid too." They stood in silence for a while longer until the moon began to rise. Ariah stood up straight and stretched out. "Wow. It must be really late if the moon is rising. I never thought it was that beautiful."

Vincent merely nodded, afraid of his own tongue and what it might say without his permission.

"It's such a calming sight. I've never really seen the moon like this either. So bright…almost like it could light the world just as good as the sun."

Again, Vincent nodded, his mind full of many thoughts, but none he could say out loud.

Suddenly, Ariah was standing in front of him, a stern look on her angelic face.

"Okay, what's wrong? And don't tell me 'nothing' 'cause that's a load of bull!"

Vincent was almost to shocked to say anything. He stood there for a moment looking almost like a beached fish, trying to find words to say.

"W-well…I was merely…thinking."

"About what?"

Vincent was caught in a corner and he knew it.

"About…." 'Your hair, your eyes….' "What you said. I was thinking about what you said about the moon." 'And how beautiful you look in it's light.'

"Are you sure?" Ariah asked, continuing to drill the poor man.

"Yes. That's all I was thinking about." 'Plus how wonderful you are and how I wish I could tell you just how I feel about you.' The vampire felt his heart being stolen as he spoke. With each thought, a little more of him was stolen by this little creature that had been dubbed the White Devil.

Ariah pulled back to her spot on the railing, seemingly satisfied with the answer.

"Okay. You just looked a little sad for a minute and I was worried about you."

His heart was now officially hers, though the young girl had no idea.

"Thank you, Ariah. I'm glad you care enough to ask." A deep silence fell between them as Ariah watched the ground for long minutes that felt like an eternity. Then, the young woman stood up straight and turned to Vincent.

"How late do you think it is?"

"Very late. At least past your bedtime." He answered, looking at the sky.

"Oh. Well…before I go to bed…umm…." She looked at the ground, shuffling her feet in embarrassment. "Can I…umm….."

"Now here's a first." Vincent said as he turned to face her as well. "I don't think I have ever seen you speechless before."

"Well…this is kind of hard to ask. I was wondering if I…I wanted to ask you something."

"All right. What is it?"

"Why don't you hold me like you used to? Before I changed, you would let me sit in your lap and hang onto you. But now, it's like you don't want to touch me."

Confusion and pain washed over Vincent as Ariah waited for his response. He was beginning to dislike this new ability of hers. The transfer of feelings was good for some things, but not all of them.

"It's a little harder for me to hold you, Ariah. You've grown up and gained a few new…err…." For the first time in over thirty years, Vincent blushed. "You've developed…into a woman." He finally finished. But Ariah was still not satisfied.

"What does that mean? I noticed that my chest got bigger," A deeper crimson colored the vampire's cheeks at this. "But that's all. What is so wrong with that?" She stepped closer to him and leaned against his warm body. "I miss hugging you.

"I felt safe. Even if you couldn't touch me with your left arm, it still felt nice." Ariah then slipped her arms around Vincent's waist and held onto him as if he would vanish into thin air if she let go. "I feel different when I'm around you. A feeling that I've never felt before."

A new emotion was invading Vincent's senses. It was powerful and potent while at the same time, so meek and innocent. Was it love? Was this what it truly felt like when it first touched the heart? He had felt it before, yes, but never quite like this. How could he return something so innocent when he himself was not?

There was another long silence as the two stood there, waiting to see what would happen next. Then, Ariah looked up. "Vincent…may I…try something?"

"What is it you want to try?" He asked, trying to keep his voice level.

"It's something I saw Adam and Eve doing."

The older man hesitated for a moment before answering. What could this thing be that she saw and wanted to try? He could only hope that it wasn't to bad.

"…All right. I suppose you can." Slowly, Ariah stood on tiptoe so she could reach Vincent's face and very softly kissed his pale lips. He didn't kiss back. He was much to surprised to do that.

She lingered there for a few moments, allowing the feeling to really sink in, when suddenly, her lower half came into contact with Vincent's. Ariah had not meant to, but she had ground her hips on a now very shocked Vincent. She gasped as he pulled himself away from her and found refuge against the wall of the airship.

"Vincent…? I'm sorry. Did I do it wrong?" The man could not answer. He had lost his voice to the wonderfully sensual feelings rushing through his body. The air had rushed from his lungs so quickly he didn't know how long it would take for him to recover.

Ariah moved once again towards him. He didn't make a move to touch her. He merely stood there, trying to gain control of his body. "Vincent? Are you okay?" Tears were beginning to well up in her beautiful green eyes. "I'm sorry. I won't do it again if you hate it. I promise."

Still, he could not speak. He was more afraid of himself than he had ever been. Chaos was so close to the surface, he was sure that if he lost what shred of concentration he had now, something terrible would happen and he would never see Ariah again. But her tears were killing him ever so slowly.

Finally, the waves of sadness hit him and she looked at the ground. "I swear I won't do it again. If it makes you hate me, I won't ever do it again." And with that, she ran back inside to the cabin she shared with her father.

Vincent was left to sink to the deck and regain composure. He sat there, holding his head in his good hand and taking deep gulps of air. How had he lost himself so quickly? How had she caused such a reaction in him that only one woman in his life had ever been able to do?

The tortured man stayed out on the deck for the rest of the night, dozing as he sat and thinking hard when he was awake.

He was still out there when the Highwind landed in front of the entrance to his hometown. Slowly, mechanically, he disembarked and walked down the cobble-stone street before anyone could say a word. When he reached the door to the Shin-ra mansion, he heard a voice calling out to him.

Ariah was running to catch up to him with Sephiroth, still covered by his cloak, following her. He waited until she had caught up to him and watched as she bent over with her hands on her knees, trying to catch her breath. "I wanted to say…I'm sorry for…last night." She said between breaths.

Vincent nodded.

"That's all right. We both acted a little…silly. Do you and your father want to come in and rest?"

Ariah looked sad at this question.

"I wish we could, but daddy says that we need to go now. He wants me to learn as much as I possibly can about the world."

"Oh." Vincent tried to hide the disappointment in his voice, but Ariah caught it.

"Don't worry. We'll be back. Maybe by that time, I'll know enough and be grown up enough for you to love me the same way you did before I grew up."

This hurt Vincent slightly, but he held it in where no one could see.

"It's for the best." He said, not believing his own words. "You still have a lot to learn. Your father will do very well in teaching you." 'Even if he teaches you to hate me.' This thought hurt the most. He knew that Sephiroth would try to teach her that. He could only hope and pray that it didn't work.

"I hope so. But I have to come back anyway. You can teach me how to transform again. I miss my wings and being able to fly."

A nod was her only answer as Sephiroth finally came up next to her.

"All right, Ariah." He said taking her arm. "You've had time to say your goodbyes. It's time to go. There is much for you to learn."

"Yes father." She turned and followed him back down the street, counting the stones in the path. When she turned back to wave to Vincent, he was gone. She looked around, but he was nowhere to be seen.

In a window on the second story, he stood, watching her slowly walk away and feeling his heart tear into little tiny pieces. How could this happen to him? If he hadn't made her cry, she would still be here.

When he could no longer see the two departing figures, he pulled himself from the window and began to walk around his home. The mansion seemed large and empty, somehow. He had noticed it before, yes, but never paid it any mind. But now, he noticed it more than ever. The Highwind had long since taken off, taking his friends back to their homes and leaving him alone.

He wished Ariaus had come with him. He wished that Lucrecia were still alive. He wished that he had never interfered with Hojo. But, most of all, he wished that Ariah had stayed with him in this empty shell of a house and help him turn it into a warm and loving home.


	11. Return to Me, My Love

I have returned! Yay! Chapter 10 is finally up and running. Took long enough. Took the server almost two weeks until it would finally accept my document. Stupid server. Oh well. Now there is only one teeny weeny little problem. I must figure out what to write in the next chapter. Boo. I think I should tell about Ariaus but I just ain't sure. If anyone has a small opinion it would help lots. The Fuzzy Bunnies will love you forever!

Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy VII

Reminder: Advent Children and Dirge of Cerberus will not affect this story in any way. Thank you and enjoy.

**10**

Things quieted down after Ariah and Sephiroth left Nibelheim. Life went back to normal, or at least, as normal as it could get. Several years passed this way in silence. No one heard from the two travelers and only rumors followed their path.

Vincent would ask Cid to take him to the Vault every now and then to see his son. He helped the boy to grow strong and to learn of the world outside his home.

On the eve of the twins' twenty-first birthday, contact finally returned between the vampire and the White Devil. He had just returned from a trip to the Vault when his PHS rang. This confused him as no one would call him after a visit and he knew everyone else was very busy with their lives.

He picked it up, wondering who it could possibly be and heard Sephiroth's voice on the other end. "Hello, Vincent. It's been a while."

"Yes, it has been. Three years to be exact. What could you be calling for and how did you get my number?"

"I got your number from Nanaki and, as much as I hate the idea, I need you to take care of Ariah."

The vampire's heart soared at this statement. Ariah was coming here? "Of course. My home is always open to you."

"Thank you." A loud crash was heard over the PHS and Sephiroth gave a tired sigh. "No, no Ariah. You hold it above your head…yes, like that. Now be very careful when you cast it." There was a pause and a second crash. "Very good. Now, again. And this time, practice your form. "Sorry." The general said as if he had forgotten that he was on the phone. "She's finally moved on to attack magic and it's killing me. We'll be there in one week."

"I'll be waiting." Vincent's heart was almost to the bursting point as he hung up after saying good-bye. He was going to see Ariah again! After three years, three long and terrible years, she was coming to his home to see him again. A sudden thought occurred to him as he went to the observatory instead of the basement.

'I am in no way prepared for guests.' And then a second problem occurred to him. 'What do I do to prepare?' He knew nothing of entertaining people. It was a skill he never really needed. What in the world was going to do? Who could he call?

And why was he suddenly so flustered? Hadn't he always had perfect control of himself? Wasn't he able to solve almost any problem set before him? 'I know,' he thought. 'I'll call Cid. His wife can help me. She'll know what to do.'

He quickly grabbed up the PHS once more and dialed Cid's number. It took the pilot a moment to pick up and he was grumpy when he did.

"Damnit Vin, this had better be good. I got an order to fix the damn Bronco and I don't have much time."

"I'm sorry to disturb you, Cid," Vincent said coolly, ignoring the nickname. "But I need to borrow Shera for a bit." There was a pause on the other end.

"…What the hell for?" This question irritated the vampire slightly.

"I need her help. Could you just spare her for a week? I would appreciate it."

"Hmm…." Cid was quiet for a moment while he thought. "I suppose I could. It won't take long to finish up the Bronco. I should be there by nightfall. And then you and me are gonna have a chat, sound cool?"

"Err…yeah…cool." Vincent really hated slang. But Cid sounded happy, almost like he'd made an achievement in making Vincent say one of the words he hated the most.

"Awight. See you tonight. Oh, and Vincent?"

"Yes?"

"Get some real food, man. I know you don't eat much, but I do. Make sure you have enough for the whole week. Shera and I don't wanna !& starve."

A heavy sigh escaped the vampire. "All right. As long as you hurry."

"Yes sir! See you soon."

Vincent grunted his reply and hung up. Oh, why in all of creation did it have to be Cid who had the only person available to help him?

'Oh well.' He thought. 'Might as well go stock up for the week.' He had plenty of gil. Training outside the city, plus the gil he earned by doing odd jobs, (meaning protection, mercenary work and gun training, if he felt like it), gave him enough to live comfortably and provide for a family of ten. (His service did not come cheap.)

When Cid arrived, he was putting away a particularly good vintage that a family had given to him for saving their boy from an angry creature. The pilot came waltzing in, Shera following behind him looking exasperated. Cid gave his friend a good smack on the back nearly knocking the taller man to the ground. (He was bent over in the liquor cabinet.)

"Hey there, Vinny! Y'know, When I said 'stock up' you didn't have to go and fill the damn liquor cabinet, too. Although it is a nice touch. Got a beer to spare?"

The vampire sighed and handed him a cold beer can out of a cooler on the floor.

"Now that you are here---"

Shera took over in an instant.

"I'm guessing you need my help to fix up this place for visitors, right Vincent?"

He just nodded. "Okay. Well then, we have one week so let's start on a few small things tonight, eat and then get plenty of rest. There's a lot to do."

Cid shook his head as the woman went off with notebook in hand to write down what needed to be done.

"I tell ya, that woman is (&$# crazy when it comes to cleaning. I have a bad feeling that she is gonna work the shit out of us. Be prepared to be exhausted." Vincent nodded again and sat down in a chair nearby.

'What have I gotten myself into?'

One week later, the Shin-ra mansion looked better than ever. Carpets were vacuumed, hard-wood floors were swept and washed, all fabric things like sheets and curtains and the like were aired, beaten, and washed several times just make sure all of the dust was out of them, and all glass surfaces were cleaned to a sparkling perfection. The larder was stocked, the kitchen cleaned, new dishes added to the cupboards, and, though Vincent had no idea how to cook, pots and pans and all kinds of cooking materials were placed where they belonged. Plants had been added everywhere to help add some cheer to the place and fires were lit to warm the cold corners.

The townsfolk, who had come to know Vincent as a wonderful help in village safety, had pitched in when Shera had asked. So, within the short time-frame that he had, everything was ready for Ariah and Sephiroth's arrival. Several of the housewives even offered to help him keep the place in good condition. This was one of the many things he was grateful for.

When all was said and done, both Cid and Vincent had to stand back and marvel. "I have never seen this hell-hole of dump, no offence, look so good." The pilot said in his usual manner.

"I must agree with you. I never thought it would ever spruce up, though I have been meaning to ask for help to do it for some time."

Cid took a drag on his cigarette and tapped his ashes into an ashtray on a coffee table next to his chair.

"So, why this sudden change of heart? Did you get a call from a certain little heart-stealer?"

"No!" Vincent bristled slightly at the mention of Ariah. Cid just laughed.

"So, when's she coming?"

The vampire sighed in defeat. "Later tonight."

"Yup, I was right. Well," he said as he snubbed out his cigarette. "Me an' Shera had better head. Don't wanna be in the way, y'know."

Vincent just grunted and sank deeper into his chair. What a day this was turning out to be. Cid and Shera left the mansion to return to the airship that had brought them here to find a pair of familiar faces standing beside it.

Ariah turned when she heard Cid shout her name and a smile crossed her face.

"Uncle Cid! Aunt Shera!" She shouted as she ran towards them. Sephiroth stayed in his position, the black cloak still masking his features from view. The young woman dove into the waiting pilot's arms. "I missed you guys. How come you're here in Nibelheim?"

"We're just here to check on our buddy, Vinny." Cid said as he ruffled Ariah's hair. "Gotta keep on him, ya know."

The White Devil giggled. "Yeah. Well, we better go. He's expecting us." They all waved goodbye and continued on their separate ways.

At the mansion, Vincent was pacing nervously, unsure of what to expect. Would she hate him? Would she not? The doorbell startled him out of his worried trance and he rushed to the door. Before he could even say hello, an excited squeal pierced his ears as one very happy young woman mobbed him.

Sephiroth followed much slower and merely laughed while the vampire tried to pry Ariah from his neck. "I missed you Vincent! Daddy made me stay away forever!" She said as she rubbed her cheek against the soft fabric of his shirt.

"I missed you too, Ariah. Now, could you please get off of me?"

After a few more seconds, she obliged and Vincent stood to address Sephiroth who was waiting patiently.

"Thank you for allowing us to stay with you Vincent." The ex-SOLDIER said with a small bow.

"It is my pleasure to offer you a safe place, Sephiroth. I made sure that no one could see inside this house. You may remove your cloak."

"Of course." And this Sephiroth did. The heavy fabric fell to the floor and he stretched gratefully. "It is good to be able to move around without that on my shoulders."

Through all this, Ariah was getting impatient. She wanted to show off everything she had learned to her friend. "Vincent, can we see ours rooms now? Then daddy can rest while I show you some of the stuff he taught me."

The vampire laughed. "All right Ariah. And I think your father would appreciate if I helped with your training as well.

"Actually, I would like that very much." Sephiroth said, picking up their travel packs.

Vincent took them upstairs to the rooms where the two were going to stay. Then, once the General was resting from the long journey, the vampire went outside with the White Devil to practice. His life felt full once again. He had his son and now he had one of the few people he cared for living under his roof. Could it get any better?


	12. Let the Pain Begin

Wow, it's been awhile. I am so sorry this took so long you guys. There has been so much crap to deal with lately I'm amazed that I got this written. Well, can't whine forever. At least it got done, right? So, the usual applys. Read and review and I will throw lots of candy into the air. I like feedback. Oh, and one last thing. Vincent is way out of character here and I apologize profusely. I did not mean to discrace him so.

Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy VII

Reminder: Advent Children and Dirge of Cerberus will not affect this story in any way. Thank you and enjoy.

**11**

The next few months in Nibelheim were complete bliss for Vincent. Every day he helped with Ariah's training, giving Sephiroth a change to actually relax. The great General always seemed tired lately. But that didn't stop him in the least. And the White Devil continued to improve under their tutelage. It couldn't have been better.

But, in Eden, things couldn't have been more different for Ariaus. He was forced to watch as the one person he had trusted his whole life deteriorated from a strange disease that no one could identify. Eve was slowly getting sicker as time went on. It was not the same virus that had killed Ariaus' mother, but it was just as deadly.

Day after day, the boy would sit by her side, waiting for some kind of change in her condition. But it did not come. Adam watched the boy carefully, not knowing how this would truly affect him. What he saw frightened him more than Sephiroth's attempt to destroy mankind.

Ariaus became more and more violent towards others and less inclined to speak or come out of Eve's room. His true nature was making itself known and the planet would suffer for it.

The clothing that he wore also changed. Shirts were discarded and replaced by arm warmers. Heavy military issue boots rested on his feet and no one wanted to be near the steel-tipped toes. Every strand of thread and every piece of fabric was black. It was clear he expected a funeral.

Three months after Sephiroth and Ariah had gone to stay with Vincent, the expected came true. Eve quietly slipped into silent death while Ariaus held her cold hand in his. At that moment, something deep inside his mind snapped. His eyes were filled with icy cruelty and his body surged with determination.

The Black Angel stood from the seat he had not left for months and walked outside into the warm light of Eden. But the beauty and wonder of nature no longer affected him. There was nothing left but hatred for the world that had killed his mother. There was another hatred welling inside of him, driving him forward towards the exit. A dark hatred for his twin, the only creature strong enough to destroy him.

Adam met Ariaus near the mess tent with a worried expression. "Ariaus, why are you not with Eve?"

"She no longer needs me." The Black Angel's voice was even and uncaring. "The Lifestream took her to rest. So now I am leaving."

Adam stood in shocked silence as Ariaus continued walking. He couldn't understand what was going on. What had happed to the Ariaus he had known and loved? "Wait!" He finally called after the boy as he caught up with him. "Where are you going?"

The Black Angel stopped, thought for a moment, and then looked up at the rock ceiling above his head. "I am going to kill my sister for her foolishness. If she had been here, she could have healed Eve. Plus, I hate her. I always have. Then, I think I will…destroy the world. Sephiroth didn't do a good enough job."

"But, what for? What would that accomplish?"

"I will finally be at peace. And no one will be around to bother me." Ariaus suddenly smiled a deadly, crushing smile as he turned to face Adam. "But first," His skin began to blacken and the immense feathered wings slowly slid from his back. Adam involuntarily backed away in fear, tripping over his own feet. "I need some practice. I'm just a little rusty you know."

The Black Angel advanced on his prey as the frightened man picked himself up and ran for the safety of the lab. But a mere building was no match for the boy's power. Soon, there would be nothing left of Eden. And the scientists could not defend themselves. After all, what can science do when it is cornered by brute force?

In Nibelheim, everyone was blissfully unaware of what was happening in Eden. Ariah practiced her defense with Vincent while Sephiroth watched to make sure she performed correctly. Suddenly, in the midst of a perfect battle, the White Demon stopped dead in her tracks, an empty look in her eyes. It was so sudden that Vincent could not stop himself in time and hit her. Not to hard, but just enough to send her flying.

He rushed to her side in a panic, afraid that he might have hurt her. But she was sitting up and rubbing the sore spot where the vampire's fist had connected. "Ariah! Are you all right?" Vincent asked as he knelt. "I didn't mean to actually hit you. I'm so sorry!"

But she wasn't listening. Ariah mumbled something under her breath so no one could hear. Her eyes slid in and out of focus as if she were trying to find reality. Sephiroth managed to move himself over to her and knelt as well. But it was hard for him to do so. He moved as if every part of his body was sore nowadays.

"Ariah? Wake up, my angel." The general said as he passed a hand in front of her eyes.

She suddenly jerked back into the real world and looked at her father with tears in her eyes. "Eve is dead!" The White Demon flung her arms around Sephiroth's neck and cried. "She's dead and Ariaus is blaming me!"

Both men sat in shock. What did this mean? The sat there listening to the girl's quiet sobs for several long minutes trying to internalize what she had said when Vincent's PHS went off. He pulled it from his pocket and answered the ring.

"Yes?"

"Vin…cent…." It was Adam's voice. But it was weak. "Something…terrible i—" He was interrupted by a fit of coughing and Vincent could hear the blood spurting from the man's mouth.

"Adam, are you all right? What happened?"

"Ariaus…he destroyed…Eden. Eve…she is…gone. Please…don't let…." Another fit stopped him.

"What? Don't let what?" Vincent couldn't figure out why he was so anxious. But, there wasn't time to worry about that.

Adam finally caught himself and tried again. "Don't let him…get to…Ariah. Help her…stop him."

Suddenly, there was a second voice in the background. The vampire recognized his son immediately. "What are you doing old man? I thought I took care of you."

"No…please…."

"Adam! What's going on!" But Vincent never received an answer. He heard the man begin to choke and gasp and then a sickening snap that could only mean Adam's neck had been broken. Then, the phone was picked up and Ariaus' voice came through.

"Hello father." It sounded like the boy was laughing!

"Ariaus, what have you done?" Vincent felt a rage building within him at the thought of his own flesh and blood committing such acts.

"I took care of the obstacles in my way. Now why don't you relay a message for me? Tell Ariah that I'm going to come and kill her father. Then I'm coming back for her."

Vincent was about to answer when there was a click and a buzz that meant the line had been cut. The vampire looked at Sephiroth and the two men exchanged serious looks. The time had come. And Ariah was still not ready.


End file.
